Police officers recognized nationally today
Nevada Daily Mail
With the National Police Week coming to a close Saturday, law enforcement officers across the nation are being honored and those who were killed in the line of duty remembered today on Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Nevada Police Chief Graham Burnley recalled when he first took his current position about four years ago and visited Deepwood Cemetery and the graves of different peace officers from the past who died protecting their communities.
"It was very moving," Burnley said of that opportunity to remember fallen officers.
Similarly, the Peace Officers Memorial Day is set aside as a time when family members, fellow officers and members of the community remember those fallen heroes as well as express their appreciation to actively serving officers.
"So many of us know fallen officers," Burnley said.
In just the past couple years, the number of officers killed in the line of duty, such as in ambushes, has increased greatly in the United States, with some of those deaths coming in recent weeks. Burnley said as a result, some officers are leaving the police force and others are deciding not to pursue that career.
"It's been a rough year for law enforcement," Burnley said. "I haven't seen anything like it."
But while the national perception of law enforcement is in a negative trend, Burnley said he is grateful for the support the Nevada Police Department has received from the community, saying hardly a day goes by when he or others in the department are not thanked for their services.
Just recently, an anonymous donor financed the printing of "I support Nevada Police" signs for business owners and residents to display, which Burnley calls a nice gesture that they appreciate.
"The police need to hear that," Burnley said.
On a daily basis, police officers and other law enforcement agencies face tragedies and situations that they receive little thanks for and sometimes are even criticized for their actions. Burnley said only about once a year during his 41 years in police work, would he participate in a situation that made all the negative aspects of the job worth it, recalling one such time when he was able to transport a choking child to the hospital, saving her life.
"My cops are on the street, they protect the community," Burnley said of the Nevada officers.
The local officers also work alongside other area departments as well, such as when a Cedar County officer was killed in 2014. Burnley said they showed their support for El Dorado and the officers by patrolling for them.
"I'm very proud of our Nevada police," Burnley said, adding that he is especially proud that some of the young officers have moved their families into the city, even purchasing homes. Now those officers are protecting their own town.
National Police Week and the Peace Officers Memorial Day are opportunities for the community to support their law enforcement officers, and Burnley said the NPD is grateful for that support.
"Remember to keep law enforcement officers in your prayers," Burnley said, saying he was encouraged and comforted when he heard of a local church that prays for the department and individual officers.
Residents interested in the police support signs can contact the police department.